Henrik Sedin is a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy given to the NHL's most valuable player and apparently he would win the award if the voting was done by a significant number of league personnel.

The Hart won't be revealed until June 23 in Las Vegas at the league's awards show but the Vancouver Canucks playmaker (pictured in front) was named by the Sporting News as its player of the year based on voting conducted by the publication among 363 players, coaches and executives.

Sedin, 29, easily surpassed his previous career bests by scoring 29 goals and tallying a league-high 83 assists to win his first Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer with 112 points. (His 83 assists were more this his previous point mark 0f 82).

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Assn. vote on the Hart at the conclusion of the regular season. Sedin's point total was impressive but it was his performance without twin brother Daniel early in the season that likely earned his share of votes.

Is it strange to think that the most valuable player in the NHL could be someone other than Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby?

[/caption]

Henrik Sedin is making serious case for the Hart Trophy. The Vancouver center leads the NHL in scoring and will get serious consideration for the award given to the MVP.

He would be the first West Coast-based player to win it since San Jose's Joe Thornton in 2005-06. Usual suspects Ovechkin and Crosby are right behind him statistically, and Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller's deserves consideration, too, along with Ilya Bryzgalov of Phoenix.

Assuming those are the main candidates, here's a brief breakdown (statistics as of Saturday) ...